Mumbo Jumbo... I Love You

Kewayne Wadley (born November 5, 1987, in Groton, Connecticut) hails from the soulful city of Memphis, Tennessee. A poetic storyteller at heart, Kewayne’s mission is to spread love and inspiration through the power of words. Though he first drew breath in Connecticut, much of his childhood unfolded in the Deep South in Birmingham, Alabama, Soperton, Georgia, and even farther south in Central America.

Known for his distinctly amorous lines and sultry undertones, Kewayne’s poetry paints vivid portraits of whirlwind romances and love as steady as placid lakes. The unwavering support of his loved ones, especially his grandmother, continues to be a driving force behind his work. His innate ability to view life through an unconventional lens is evident in his innovative approach to writing and the honesty that anchors it.

Over the years, Kewayne's voice has developed into a sustained body of work spanning poetry collections, online publications, festival features, and professional readings. His poems have appeared in anthologies and have been performed by professional readers through international poetry festivals. Rather than writing toward a single moment or trend, Kewayne’s work reflects a long-form practice shaped by patience, emotional precision, and a commitment to authenticity.

In January 2021, Wadley was invited to participate in Confinement.lands, an international digital art project created by artist Cinzia Campolese. The project explored poetic and emotional landscapes within a three-dimensional online environment developed during the global period of isolation. Wadley’s poem “Umbrella” was selected for inclusion and integrated into the virtual space, with his authorship credited as part of the installation. The collaboration marked one of his earliest interdisciplinary invitations, situating his work within an experimental, immersive art context and signaling the expanding reach of his poetic voice beyond the page.

Notably, his books Listening to Songs at Midnight, More Songs to Listen to at Midnight, The Memorandum: An Ode to the Workplace or Something Like That, Mumbo Jumbo... I Love You, and Twelve Midnight have been accepted and cataloged into the Library of Congress. They are also cataloged in WorldCat, the global library database, with holdings in multiple international libraries—an acknowledgment that reinforces both his artistic contribution and the long-term preservation of his voice. His poem Community Garden was featured as an epigraph in Katherine H. Brown’s book A Sweet Folly of Hope.

In addition to his literary accomplishments, Kewayne has contributed to the creative world as a producer. Through crowdfunding support, he earned associate producer credits for Good Neighbours (IMDb, 2024), Réservée (IMDb, 2025), and was also credited for Eddie’s Rage and Lost in the Fog in Stanislav Puzdriak’s Silent Hill: A Letter to James (IMDb, 2025). His support has also earned him various acknowledgments and shoutouts in the special thanks sections of films, books, music albums, and websites, expanding his presence across multiple creative industries.

In 2025, he sponsored the poem Stranger by Vivian Estelle McMeekin in Strange Horizons, marking his first public contribution to the speculative poetry community through Kickstarter support. Also in 2025, his poem Pisces was included and was grand prize winner in Ink Without Borders by Wingless Dreamer.

Throughout his career, Kewayne’s poems have appeared in a wide range of anthologies and zines, including Collected Whispers (2006), For This Cause Writers Unite (2012), The Poetic Bond IX (2019), The Porter Gulch Review: 36th Edition (2020), and Mingled Voices 6 (2021). He has won three poetry contest on a website called Poetry Vibes in the mid 2000's. His haiku Full of Posies earned him 3rd Place in Dreamers Magazine (2022), and his poem Love Sometimes received Honorable Mention in The Poetic Bond X (2020). He was featured in Blavity’s “Love Poems by Black Poets” slideshow for his poem New Year Comes Twice A Year, celebrating Black voices in poetry. He was also mentioned for submitting a group of poems for Mingled Voices 9 (International Proverse Poetry Prize Anthology, 2024).

Kewayne’s creative process is deeply influenced by his diverse upbringing. Growing up in various cultural settings gifted him a unique perspective, infusing his work with rich imagery and emotional depth. Whether drawing from memory, emotion, or environment, he finds beauty in both the mundane and the extraordinary.

His writing process blends spontaneity with discipline. Though he doesn’t follow a rigid routine, he remains committed to his craft, allowing ideas to arrive naturally. He believes in the power of words to heal and connect—sometimes to reconnect. He often revisits older works to refine or transform them—a process he calls “sampling himself”—which frequently gives birth to entirely new pieces.

Beyond print, Kewayne's poetry appears across major digital platforms. His work is featured on Spillwords, Poem Hunter—where hundreds of his poems are accessible to readers worldwide—and his books are discoverable through Amazon, Google Books, Barnes & Noble's digital catalog, and his official website. His book Mumbo Jumbo... I Love You also received published editorial reviews by Annalise Reads and Yaya Diamond on her Dream Chasers platform. In 2025, six of his poems were adapted into professional video performances by acclaimed narrator Val Cole, signaling the adaptability and cinematic strength of his poetic voice. His poem “Peach Cobbler” received a dedicated review from Imani Wj Wright of Swanodown, highlighting his ability to blend emotional clarity with a uniquely intimate observational style. 

Wadley’s work has also crossed into interdisciplinary collaboration. His poem Bookmark inspired composer Jeff Scott to write an original composition of the same title for trombone and percussion, featured as part of Scott’s larger work Silenced Angels Speak. The poem will be recited as part of an upcoming audio recording by trombonist Kenneth Thompkins, Associate Professor at Michigan State University and former principal trombone of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. These recognitions further expand the growing body of performance, editorial, and multimedia responses to his work across the literary landscape.

Through his writing, Kewayne hopes to leave a lasting impact, encouraging others to embrace their unique voices and share their stories. He believes every person carries a narrative worth telling.

When he isn’t jotting down romantic free verse on whatever surface is nearby, this multi-passionate creative can be found drawing, painting, listening to an eclectic range of music, or tending to his plants. His work can be found on his website, where he continues to share poems, reflections, and creative projects.

Anthologies & Magazines

• Collected Whispers (2006)

• For This Cause Writers Unite: A SteamyT Pub Young Writer's Flow Project (2012)

• Where the Mind Dwells (2015)

• The Poetic Bond V – Willowdown Books (2015)

• The Poetic Bond VIII – Willowdown Books (2018)

• Best of 2019: 4th Edition (2019)

• The Poetic Bond IX – Willowdown Books (2019)

• The Poetic Bond X – Willowdown Books (2020) — Honorable Mention for “Love Sometimes”

• Best Poets of 2020: Quarantine Edition (2020)

• Porter Gulch Review – 36th Edition (2020)

• Poet’s Choice: Desires (2021)

• Human to Human – Willowdown Books (2021)

• Who’s Who in American Poetry (2021)

• DRIP 05/06 – Coffee People Zine (Double Issue, 2021)

• Mingled Voices 6 – International Proverse Poetry Prize Anthology (2021)

• Dreamers Haiku Contest – 3rd Place Winner for “Full of Posies” (Dreamers Magazine, 2022)

• Mingled Voices 7 – International Proverse Poetry Prize Anthology (2022)

• Looking In, Looking Out – Willowdown Books (2023)

• Poet’s Choice: Ace of Spades (2023)

• Mingled Voices 8 – International Proverse Poetry Prize Anthology (2023) — Awarded placement(s)

• Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry – Poetry Soup (2024)

• Opening Words, Closing Lines – Willowdown Books (2024)

• Mingled Voices 9 – International Proverse Poetry Prize Anthology (2024) — Specifically mentioned for a group of poems

• Swept Away in February – Wingless Dreamer Publishing (2025)

• Poet’s Choice: A Village with a Poem – Rural Poetry (2025)

• WILDsound Writing Festival / Festival For Poetry (2025) — Six poems accepted:

Roses in Traffic (Love)

A Match That Forgot How to Breathe (Dramatic Monologue)

Towards the Storm (Nature)

Human Teddy Bear (Allegory)

Where Dreams Sit and They Soak (Romance)

My Storm in a Bottle (Romance)

• Ink Without Borders – Wingless Dreamer Publishing (2025) — 1st Place Grand Prize Winner for “Pisces”

• Presence – Willowdown Books (2025)

• Spillwords Press (2025) — “She Did Good (Father of the Bride)” and “Conjuring”

• Mingled Voices 10 – International Proverse Poetry Prize Anthology (2025)

•Spillwords Press (2026) - "You Were the Storm That Came Through"

•Freestyle Ink Festival – Wingless Dreamer Publishing (2026)

•WILDsound Writing Festival / Festival For Poetry (2026) — Five poems accepted 

Pisces (Free Verse)

Ready or Not (Epic)

Half Me, Half You, Scorpio (Free Verse)

Circulation (Free Verse)

Leg Cast (Erotica)

•Diverse Voices: The Poetry of Human Rights and the Pursuit of Peace – Poetry Soup (2026) "The Pit"

Self-Published Books

• Listening to Songs at Midnight (2020)

• More Songs to Listen to at Midnight (2022)

• The Memorandum: An Ode to the Workplace or Something Like That (2023)

• Late Nights on Venus (2023)

• Mumbo Jumbo... I Love You (2023)

• Vibing With You (2023)

• A Minute to Yourself (2023)

• ISLAND BAEcation (2023)

• Let’s Get Out and Do Something (2023)

• Twelve Midnight (2024)

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